Paranoia and Mistrust
by TheSupremeRuleroftheSarkEmpire
Summary: Tony is left wondering in his office after some recent events. He then seeks advice from a questionable source. Contains curse words and is somewhat canon with the Season 2 Episode 8, Who Do You Trust.
1. Stark Industries

**Hi there! This is based off the Season 2 Episode, "Who Do You Trust." Spoilers for it, I guess. Because-OMIODIN that episode was intense and dark and shit. In the end I was just like "D: …fuck"**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Not even a disclaimer. **

Tony sat there in his office, glaring at his helmet. He was lost and confused, even quite angry. He needed to think, to find a way to fix things. Because long ago Tony Stark hadn't trusted anyone and it seemed like history would repeat itself.

After he had formed the Avengers, he had changed. The weeks after he started the team hadn't been his best, true, but he had learned to trust. He learned to rely on people, to form seemingly unbreakable bonds with them.

A couple of months later, after the team had been formed, he realized something. He realized that he had learned to trust his teammates. He had let out the special trust that had only been reserved for people like Pepper or Rhodey, people who wouldn't fail him, and had let it spread to his new teammates. Tony didn't have to look over his shoulder anymore because he knew someone was always watching his back. And he would watch theirs.

He'd gone from a snarky, arrogant asshat to someone his teammates could trust. Tony still did sometimes still act like an asshat, but it was mostly when he was annoyed. Or when Thor was telling him science was bad. Or, well…yeah he was still a pretty big asshat, but a more likeable, trusting asshat.

One meeting with Nick Fury had changed that.

Now he was bordering paranoid. Now he knew that the people who had helped him save the world on multiple occasions might not be actually be the same people he had placed his trust with. Instead of knowing that someone would watch his back he would have had to constantly watch over his shoulder to make sure no one would backstab him. He just couldn't live that way.

So he had told The Avengers that one of their close friends wasn't there. One of their friends had been replaced. Then, the trust which had uneasily grown had been shattered.

Some, like Janet, had downright refused to believe it. After all, they were _the_ _Avengers_, they would notice if someone within their ranked had been compromised. But the evidence was there and it didn't lie. But Tony was the only one who had seen the evidence so it was harder for the team to trust him, but he wouldn't lie.

He hoped Fury hadn't been lying, either. There was no reason for him to be lying. At least, Tony couldn't think of a reason why Fury would lie about something like that.

And now Tony sat in his office trying to think of who the Skrull was. But he knew it would be fruitless. Fury had said that Skrulls were the perfect copies. Even Black Widow had been surprised when she found out someone she saw almost every week had been an alien shapeshifter. And if someone like Natasha Romanov can't tell when someone isn't who they say they are, Tony had no hope.

And even though he called himself a futurist and had all this amazing technology, he just didn't know who was gone. Or replaced or abducted or whatever. He couldn't tell who was the wolf in sheep's clothing, just waiting in the shadows to attack.

Someone he knew, someone he _trusted, _had been replaced and Tony just didn't know who. It frustrated him to know so much, yet so little.

Not being able to take it any more Tony grabbed his helmet and hurled it across the room.

He was just _so frustrated._ He felt like he needed to talk to someone. Maybe Pepper was still in the building. He was just about to call her when a horrible thought entered his mind.

What if Pepper was a Skrull? What if Rhodey was? Just thinking this made Tony feel sick to his stomach because he trusted them with his life. And if Pepper or Rhodey had been replaced he didn't know if he could stop himself from doing something stupid and reckless.

He sighed loudly. It was late. But he needed someone to talk to that he was sure wasn't an alien.

But thinking about it maybe there was someone alien he could talk to…well, not really alien, more specifically the time travelling conqueror type.

**Muahaha! Talk to all the aliens! Sorry, I just had to use that. So obviously the ending is AU and I WILL continue this story. **

**Just…get ready for time travelling conquerors in the next chapter that I shall upload-Odin-knows-when.**

**REVIEW!**

**Ps I don't own the word "asshat" but someone does. And I shall track them down and take the deed of ownership from their cold dead grip :D**


	2. 42

**A/N: Well lookie heerr. Two updates in one day :) I'm proud of meeself**

**Disclaimer: Soon I shall free The Avengers from the evil grip of Disney**

**BLOOP –PAGE BREAK- BLEEP**

Tony got up and picked up his helmet. _If I'm going do this, _he mused, _might as well look intimidating. _He was reluctant to say that part of him didn't want to do anything. Just sit there, maybe sleep.

_No,_ he concluded, _I may still be an untrusting asshat, but I _will_ fight against whatever's coming. _He quieted that frightened and apprehensive part of his mind down. He couldn't to second guess himself with everything that was happening

And with a parting look around, he shot out of Stark Industries and flew towards 42.

**-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-**

Once he entered the prison, Tony knew exactly where The Conquerors' cell was. It was quiet in the hallways, surprisingly, even villains slept. Yawning, Tony realized it was getting pretty late. But he couldn't stop and rest because in his moment of relaxation he would probably talk himself out of this. So he would go awhile longer without sleep; the adrenaline would keep him awake. This was important.

Arriving at his destination, Tony reluctantly peered in. Kang appeared awake but his back was to the door. He had straightened up a little when Tony had arrived, but now he remained unmoving. Tony wondered for a second if Kang had even heard him. Unable to stand the silence anymore, Tony cleared his throat and made some noise, which got Kang's attention.

With the Iron Man mask on, Tony's eyes or face couldn't betray his true feelings. Normally, that wouldn't have been possible, but lately he had let his unemotional mask break more often. And so much had happened in the last twenty-four hours that Tony knew he couldn't- _wouldn't _be able totrust his emotions anymore.

Kang turned around without a word. He was waiting for Iron Man to say something but the hero remained silent. Tony didn't know how to start out.

Luckily for Tony, Kang decided to break the tense silence, "Your arrival is not unexpected, Avenger."

"Don't call me that. I am something besides that."

"Well, it _is _what you are most proud of, isn't it? Being a _mighty_ Avenger? Or have you lost faith in your team? Does your merry band of heroes not know of this late night visit?"

Kang frowned when Iron Man didn't react. He added, "What's wrong, Stark? Cat got your tongue?"

Iron Man was still but spoke, "Stop bull shitting me, and tell me how to stop it, Kang. I only came to you because you know what happens. You know how this will end. And what will happen when it does."

Kang growled, "Save your world and destroy the entity that shouldn't even exist! Kill Captain America," then he got off his bunk and walked right up to Tony, or as close as he could with the barrier in the way, "stop being squeamish and do what you have to! I would have thought that someone that would be able to hack my chair could to put two and two together. Unless you want to see your world burn, you _will_ destroy him."

"I can think of other ways of stopping someone with out killing them. So can you at least tell me why I should stop him? How does a single man destroy a timeline? I have a hard time imagining that _Captain America_ of all people would be capable of world wide genocide."

"He doesn't personally kill everyone, if that's what you're asking. But he causes the events that do. And I could tell you how, but since you give no reason for me to, I won't." Kang smirks before continuing in Tony's silence. "But maybe he does do it personally. Perhaps he goes to every house hold. Maybe he slaughters every man, woman, and child. But you would still defend his actions, would you not?"

"Steve has no reason to destroy humanity." Tony says simply while avoiding the question.

"A man that destroys a timeline is beyond reason." Kang replies just as simply and without hesitation.

Tony was becoming more and more frustrated. It was like Kang didn't want to help him despite what was at risk. And maybe he didn't. He had nothing left to exist for, now that his time was destroyed. But Tony couldn't just flat out kill Captain America. He wasn't ready to go there. He stored that as a last resort. He kept trying to outsmart fate, even though he knew he couldn't in the end.

Kang's chuckle brought Tony out of his thoughts and worries. "I can see the wheels turning in your head, Tony Stark. No, there is no escaping this fate. There is no outsmarting it. There is no hope. There is nothing but the future that awaits you."

Tony had enough. Turning towards the exit he left Kang's cell without another word. He escaped inside his mind and tried to stop thinking.

A low chuckle brought him out of his calculated brooding. And it made him stop in his tracks. He hadn't realized that Baron Zemo's cell was so close to Kang's. _Well not really_, he realized he had long since passed the exit and was headed in another direction.

"He is right, you know. Captain America is different. He is not the same man that I fought 70 years ago."

"Yeah, well, it seems being stuck in ice for 70 years and losing everything you knew, can do that to you. And how could you even hear him? He's like over there." Tony pointed in the general direction of Kang.

Zemo chose to not answer the question. "That's not what I meant. He acted without mercy. That is most unlike our good captain. He has never tried to outright kill me, just capture."

"Well, if you didn't notice, he didn't kill you this time either, smart guy. And we're- _they're_ all-getting pretty tired of your crap, Zemo. You can't blame him for wanted an end. But let's go ask Simon Williams if he was wrong to want to end you. Oh wait, we _can't._" Tony voice was now dripping with sarcasm. He was getting tired of people dragging him in circles. It wasn't fun.

"Don't be so naïve, you know he's changed. Or you just don't want to believe that your _mighty_ team could be infiltrated so easily."

"Have you been talking to my good friend, Kang? It seems you two could agree on a lot of things. Hell, you two could even start a 'Let's have Iron Man kill Captain America' Club. Or become BFFs."

"Stop acting like this a game, Stark!"

"But it's so _fun, _Zemo. Better than realizing one of Cap's arch enemies wants him dead. Because that is so shocking to hear, I mean, I never would have thought that _you_ of all people would want him dead."

"If you don't believe he's guilty, then why are you wasting so much energy defending him?"

The fun attitude he was using to mock Zemo was gone in an instant. The question had left Tony vulnerable because he didn't know how to answer it. He decided not to.

**BLEEP-PAGE BREAK-BLOOP**

**A/N: This chapter gave me so many problems. I mean, I was afraid I was doing Kang or Tony or Zemo or someone too OOC. I really didn't want that so I rewrote this like 3 times. But I have the next chapter up soon since it's already in my head. Maybe.**

**Also I'm kinda sad because so far, the show hasn't shown Tony. Just once Hawkeye mentioned him. So…this might not be AU right now…kewl**

**REVIEW FOR SHAWRMA EVEN THOUGH IT ISNT PART OF THIS CONTINUITY! :D**


	3. Malibu Mansion

**A/N: Hello there. Hasn't been long and I'm proud of that. ^-^ *pats self on back* Sorry that the beginning sucks so bad…I did it long time ago and didn't feel like fixing it much. **

**BTW If you have not watched the whole Skrull arc hemso22 of Youtube has all of those episodes. Just put Avengers Earth's Mightiest Heroes season 2 in the search box**

**Disclaimer: The super assassin has failed. I do not own Marvel or any of this. I don't even own a super assassin :'( **

**BLOOP-NOT REALLY PLOT RELEVANT PAGE BREAK-BLEEP**

Tony Stark arrived at his house in Malibu about two hours later, or a little after 1 AM. He knew no one would look for him there in the time being. He seriously wanted to be alone. Not that he really should be, with his mind, being alone wasn't really always best. But it was not like he had any other place where he could be alone. Pepper could easily find him back at Stark Industries and it's not like he could just waltz back into the Mansion. Not if there was a spy there.

"_Welcome home, sir._" JARVIS greeted him.

Tony greeted him back and went to his workbench to start building whatever might help him find the Skrulls.

"_Sir, you won't be taking off your armor?_"

Tony didn't hear him over the sound of his own thinking. The initial fatigue he had felt while entering 42 had faded. Now his mind was busy as work trying to build the something to detect the Skrulls. So far, he had a vague idea of a machine. But further calculations proved it wouldn't ultimately work.

He wanted to forget that stupid meeting had ever taken place. It was his mistake to have gone there. He cursed himself for ever thinking of trusting Kang. Now some of Kang's words still echoed in his head. Stuff along the lines of "see your world burn", "defend his actions", and of course, his favorite, "A man that destroys a timeline is beyond reason." Tony tried his best to ignore them, even by putting on some heavy metal music.

The music didn't help and he kept losing focus. He would pick up a tool and then another of Kang's words would make itself known again in his mind. So he would set the tool down and absent mindedly stare at a wall or whatever was in front of him. Moments if he was lucky, minutes if not, would pass and then he would regain his focus but the whole process would start all over again. It was really irking him but there was really nothing he could do about it.

He was seriously considering sleep as this point. Not it would change anything, though. He would lie down but his mind would remain active. And then he would head back here again.

Maybe some loud music would help…then Tony realized that heavy metal had still been playing the entire time…he sighed and got back to working on whatever was in front of him. His phone rang. He was about to automatically reach for it when he remembered that it was probably Pepper worried about him…Pepper or a Skrull- or a Skrull Pepper- the possibilities were really endless.

**-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-**

Time passed. Hours turned to days-**many **days-and eventually three weeks had passed. Tony wouldn't have noticed the time lapse if it weren't for JARVIS constantly reminding him to eat or sleep. Not that he listened. He slept on the table, usually passed out and ate whenever his stomach started to make weird sounds.

His phone was also constantly ringing. Tony knew that it was either Pepper or Rhodey calling each time but he refused to acknowledge it. He ignored each call. If Pepper or Rhodey really wanted to find him they would have already. Maybe Pepper had already been explained what happened by whatever was left of the team. He wondered briefly if they were worried about him…they probably hadn't even thought of him.

Even Kang and Zemo's words faded from his mind for the time being.

"Sir, Ms. Potts is attempting to contact you again. She has left multiple messages over the last three weeks. I might add that you haven't taken off your armor in that time, either. Or showered." That much was true. He hadn't left the workshop for anything except for food. But it didn't matter; there was no one there but him. JARVIS couldn't even smell. Tony was also aware that his Avenger's ID card might be ringing, but it probably wasn't something important.

He finished the final piece for and fit it into the machine.

"Fire it up," he told JARVIS. Tony hoped this one worked so he could finally end this.

"Yes, sir. Attempt 47 in progress. Collecting data…Data-inconclusive. No extraterrestrial bio-signatures detected within the continental United States. Sir, I might remind you that without a test subject-"

Tony sighed. Another failed test trial. "I know. So I've either failed again or turned into a crazy paranoid. Not sure which is worse."

"The latter, sir," JARVIS replied. The ringing phone gets on Tony's nerves and he just put out his hand and replusor blasted it off the table. Tony closes his eyes and leans forward, trying to think of a ways to make the machine work…

He hears the laser cutting through the wall before the circle is complete. He looks at it for a second before running and diving towards his helmet. Unfortunately, the assailant is faster and blasts it away before Tony can grasp it, resulting in Tony crashing into a cabinet.

"I would like a word with you, Stark." Tony looks up to see the hooded face of Doom.

Tony doesn't hesitate to attack. After being cooped up for so long it feels good to be doing something other than just sit there. Even though it seems that Dr. Doom is winning. And that their fight is wrecking most of the workshop.

"I don't have time for whatever petty grudge you're holding against me, Doom." Tony weaves and dodges in between shooting at Doom. He's finally glad he made the ceiling high enough for him to fly comfortably. He decides that shooting isn't enough when one of his best missiles doesn't even faze Doom. _Stupid shielding,_ Tony thinks. He decides to now take a more direct approach and opts to fly _straight at_ Doom. Tony tackles the unsuspecting Doom into the wall and proceeds to hold him there with punches until Dr. Doom counters with his own repulsors.

"Enough! None lay hands on Doom."

Tony crashes into several benches and has his fall broken by crashing into one of his favorite cars. He groans in pain and looks up as Dr. Doom starts speaking. "I know what you've been doing here, Stark. Working on your little _toy_, searching for the Skrulls hidden among us." He slowly approaches the downed Iron Man as he gets up.

Tony straightened at the word Skrulls. "What do you know about the Skrulls?" He inquires at Doom.

"That which you do not, Avenger, I know how to find them." Doom puts his hand up, and Tony's helmet is pulled into Doom's hand. "I would have had the genetic keys sooner but you chose to destroy my scanner like an angry child." He isn't looking at Tony; instead he looks at the helmet in his hand.

"So what? You're here to help me? Out of the goodness of your heart?" Tony walks calmly towards Doom and takes his helmet back with a little more force than necessary, putting it on and turning his back on Dr. Doom.

"No, this world is mine to rule, and mine alone. These _reptiles _may not have it. This has been designed to work in conjunction with your detection device," Doom hold out a small device shaped like a square, "it will allow you to perform a genetic reset on the Skrulls, exposing their true forms."

"Hah," Tony laughs and turns toward Doom, "you couldn't do it alone, could you? You needed my tech to make your little key work."

"Doom needs no one."

Tony goes towards Doom to grab the device. "So, now what? You gonna fight them with me?"

"That would be beneath me. Such chores are what people like you are for." Without another word, Doom jumps out the big hole in the wall and flies away.

Tony is left staring at the small device in his hand.

**-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-**

After nearly another hour of repairs and work on the armor, the device is installed and works perfectly. Tony is surprised that Doom had in no way sabotaged it. "Huh. JARVIS, I think we may need to put Dr. Doom on the Christmas Card list."

Natasha Romanov interrupts his musings and startles him, causing him to raise his gauntlet in her direction. "Iron Man, Fury needs to see you. Now"

Tony lowers his gauntlet and moves to the platform where the suit reassembles around him. He sees Natasha leave now that her job was done. A few minutes later the process is done.

_Huh, _Tony mused while shooting out of the garage, _I wonder what other villain I've forgetten about will come help me. Ultron'll probably show up wanting to end world hunger…_

Tony shivers at the memories of Ultron.

**-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-**

When Tony enters the safe house he is surprised to see that Black Widow has gotten there before him. He decides not to question the super assassin. He directs his attention at Nick Fury instead, "You're as lucky man, Fury. Guess who's got a Skrull detector installed in his armor? I'll give you a hint."

Nick Fury doesn't even turn around. "She should have told me."

"No, that's not-wait, what? Who should have told you what?" Now Tony's confused. But he decides to let Fury explain.

"She was in charge of surveillance on SHIELD. She should have told me about the Hulk's attack on the Helicarrier. She didn't," Fury turns, "we've been infiltrated. It's Mockingbird, she-" someone shoots Fury in the chest and he goes down without another word. Black Widow and the other SHIELD agent go down as well.

Mockingbird comes out the shadows with a standard SHIELD issue gun in hand. The same one that was shot at Fury. She points it at Iron Man.

"You know, hun, you're more likely to hurt yourself than me if you fire that." Tony speaks with his usual snark.

She doesn't visibly react. Instead, she said, "I know. You see, I know everything there is to know about you and your armor, Iron Man. That's how we were able to upload the virus"

"What virus?" He get exactly one second to worry and be confused about the about the virus before he is blinded and immobilized by pain. _Oh,_ that _virus. _

Tony screams in pain and sinks to his knees. But he manages to make a somewhat coherent command,"JARVIS?"

"Warning, alien virus detected. All systems compromised. Arc Reactor, compromised. Biological systems, compromised." Tony could have figured that out himself. He pulls up the visor and closes his eyes. It felt like he was being electrocuted. **Underwater. **_**While being shot in the heart and chest. **__**Multiple times.**___

Mockingbird walks toward him like nothing is happening. Like he isn't screaming in pain on his knees. "You are a dangerous man, Anthony. Of all the humans, you were the one who could find a way to see us for what we were. You were their leader." Mockingbird lowers herself in front of Tony, "we have no wish for you to suffer, but these things, they are as it is written," she grabs a stray strand of Tony's hair seems to inspect it before returning to her original form. Everything hurts within Tony, but to him, where the strand of hair landed burned his flesh the most.

"It won't be long now," she taunts before pulling out a communication device, "this is Queen Veranke. Iron Man and Nick Fury have been dealt with, commence with invasion." Tony just stares wide eyed at the Skrull Queen. He wonders how he could have missed this. How Nick Fury could have missed it, too.

He feels like he should black out, but he knows he won't. That would have been too merciful of them. It seems they specially designed the virus to make him suffer. To cause Tony pain, but not enough to grant him unconsciousness.

The Queen kneels before him putting her gun near his face. Her eyes are cold as they stare into Tony's. It feels like she is looking into his soul. He stopped screaming and is now staring at the gun. For a moment he wonders if she'll shoot him. He knows she won't. she would rather see him suffer.

Suddenly, it became too much for him and Tony falls sideways onto the floor, landing on his back somehow. For some odd reason the conversations from 42 floated back into his head and took over. After not thinking about them for so long, they bring a whole new round of guilt. He regretted ever being so untrusting as to trust Kang. Not that he ever truly _did_, but…

Tony Stark lay there lay there being tortured by his moment of weakness, unable to fight back…

**BLOOOP-SEXY PAGE BREAK-BLEEEP**

**There. I. Finally. Finished. That, my dear people-I-don't-know is an amazing fragging chapter. And by amazing, I mean fantastical :D No really, I'm proud of this chapter even though most of it was dialogue from the show…**

**Still, this fic is far from over. I'm going to make this last until Kang shows up again in "New Avengers". Which is like the second or third to last episode. I'll maybe even continue this to the end…not sure yet but I'm going to wait out season 2. But if I do continue it'll definitely get very AU**

**Here's a preview of the next chapter:**

_he_

**Ehehehe LOKI'D! No but seriously: **

_Tony kept telling himself that this was what would have had destroyed the timeline. The Skrull Captain America, not the real one. Nothing worse was over the horizon. Everything was okay now…but he knew it wasn't over._

**A/N: C'mon, you, yes you reading this! Review out of the goodness of your heart. Like Doom! And you get to be put on the Christmas Card List! :D:D:D:D:D**


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